Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Stand

Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 

Are we willing to stand?  These verses are meant for our stand against the devil. But what does that mean for us?  What stands do we make?  Do we stand against our selfish desires?  Our anger?  Our sinfulness?  Where do we draw the line?  Or do we draw the line when it comes to standing for Christ?  What costs come in doing the right thing?  Do we carry the whole armor of God to take that stand?  Do we gird our waists with truth?  Do we put on our breastplates of righteousness?  Do we shod our feet with the gospel of peace?  Do we take our shields of faith?  Do we take our helmets of salvation and our swords of the Spirit; the Word of God?

When we stand against the devil we are standing against sin.  We are standing against the desires of the flesh.  Sometimes we have to sacrifice things in our lives that stand in our way.  Some things we really want to keep, and even those things we keep that we don't really want, but can't get rid of until we stand for what God wants.  That is not always easy.  Paul said in Romans 7:15, "For what I am doing, I do not understand.  For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do."  Sometimes we do things in our flesh that we wish we wouldn't do.  We must stand firm with our armor so that we can fight against such things.

Let's take a stand today against the evil of this world, against that which the devil would have us to do, so that, we as Christians, can live above reproach and show Who Jesus really is to a dying world.

                          In His Love
                             Sabrina